Cloth-measuring machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. E. CARPENTER.

CLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

No. 597,836. Patented Jan. 25,1898.

Wifgesses (No'ModeL) v 2 Sheets Sheet 2. W. E. CARPENTER. CLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

Patented Jan m: Norms warms cc. womumo. vqsumc-mm u. 1:

.4 52.. 5E flW J o z m connecting rods 3, and the upper connecting UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

ILLIAM E. CARPENTER, OF CALUMET, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,836, dated January 25, 1898.

Application filed June 8, 1397- Serial No. 639,895. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. CARPENTER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Calumet, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Cloth-Measuring Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for measuring cloth and other fabrics, the object beinventory of stock, as they may be used to measure either cloth, laces, or ribbons.

lVit-h this and other objects in view the invention consists of the several details of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a measuring-machine made in'accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a portion of one of the end castings to show the devices to lock the frame in its adjusted position. .Fig. 5 is a bottom plan viewof the upper connecting-rod of the frame. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the spring-actuated clamp. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section through the indicator. one of the clip-guides detached.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several figures.

The frame of the machine consists of the supporting end castings 1 and 2, the lower rod 4.. The lower connecting-rods 3 are preferably of metal and reduced at one end to pass through bores in the bosses 5 on the lower corners of the end casting 1. The ends of the reduced portions are threaded, as indicated at 6, to receive the nuts 7, by means of which the rods are firmly. secured to the casting 1. Similar bosses 5 are formed at the lower corners of the casting 2, the bores 8 of which are of snfioient size to receive the rods 3, so that the latter may slide freely therein.

9 indicates a boss formed on the upper side of the end casting 1 about midway of its Fig. 8 is a perspective View of length, and this boss is bored out to receive the end of the rod 4, which latter is preferably of wood. The bore does not extend entirely through the boss, but an opening is formed in the outer end of the boss for the passage of a screw 10, which enters the rod 4: and securely fastens it to the end casting 1. A similar boss 11 is formed on the upper side of the end casting 2, and the bore in this boss is of sufficient size to permit the rod 4 to slide freely therein. It will thus be seen that the casting 2 may have a sliding movement on the connecting-rods 3 and 4 and be adjusted toward or away from the end casting 1, as circumstances may require.

v 12 indicates a strip of metal which is secured to the under side of the rod 1 and provided with a series of equidistant perforations13. A scale 14 is also preferably formed on the strip to serve as a guide for adjusting the casting 2 relatively to the casting 1 in order that the machine may be accommodated to fabrics of different widths.

15 indicates a tube which is closed at its lower end and secured to the end casting 2 in such manner that its open upper end will be opposite the strip 12. A bolt 16 is seated in this tube and rests upon a coiled spring 17 in the bottom of the tube, the normal tendency of the spring being to force the bolt into engagement with the perforations in the strip 12. A pin 18 is connected to the bolt 16 and projects out through an L-shaped slot 19 in the tube 15, and this pin serves as a means for releasing the bolt from the perforations in the strip, and by turning the pin into the horizontal portion of the L-shaped slot the bolt will be held disengaged from the perforations.

20 indicates bosses on the upper corners of the end castings 1 and 2, and each of these bosses is bored out to receive a sleeve 21, whichsleeves in turn serve as bearings for the shafts of the clamps and 23. The shafts 24 of the clamps 22, which are seated in the sleeves in the end casting 1, are each provided with a crank-wheel or crank-handle, (indicated by 25.) The shafts 26 of the the clamps 23 each has a reduced portion 27 which passes through the reduced bore at the outer end of the sleeve in which it is journaled and is provided at its outer end with a kind of clamp may be substituted for those illustrated in the drawings, such clamps to be of a form suitable for the article being measured, and the only essential feature of this part of the machine is that the clamp 23, p

of whatever form it may he, shall be springactuated toward the clamp 22, this being arranged for the purpose of quickly inserting the package between the clamps or removing it'therefrom.

From the rear end of each casting an arm projects upwardly and is provided with a boss 31 at its upper end, in which is seated a rod 32, the connection between the rod and.

the boss on the end casting 2 being loose, while that between the rod and the boss on the end castingl is rigid.

33 indicates an arm provided with a sleeve 7 34 at one end, which is slidably mounted on the rod 32, and the other end of the arm 33 is bifurcated to form spaced bearings 35, between which the measuring-disk 3G is journaled. This disk is preferably provided with a rubber tire (indicated by 37) to prevent slippage of the cloth or other fabric being measured, and the disk is adapted to engage the cloth or other fabric immediately over the connecting-rod 4. The indicator 38 is provided with a tube 39 at its lower end,

which receives the shaft 40, Fig. 7, of the disk 36, and this shaft has a worm 41, engaging a gear 42, and the gear carries a pointer 43, which projects over the outer face of a dial 44. A bracket 44 is secured to the rear face of the indicator, and a screw 44 connects this bracket with one of the bearings 35 to hold the indicator firmly in position. In practice the dial will preferably be provided with two sets of indicating-numerals reversely arranged, so that the material can be measured when it is moved in either direction through the machine.

The gear 42 is mounted on a sleeve 45, which sleeve is secured in the rear wall of the casing of the indicator. The dial 44 is carried bya pin 40, which extends through the sleeve 45 and is provided at its rear end with a small disk 47 to form a finger-hold to facilitate turning the dial. 48 indicates a coiled spring within the sleeve 45, the normal tendency of which is to force the rear face of the dial 44 against the inner end of the sleeve 45 and cause sufficient friction between them to hold the dial stationary under ordinary circumstances. WVhen it is desired to move the dial, the pin 46 will be pushed inwardly against the force of the spring 48 and thereby move the dial 44 out of easily turned. The object of this arrangement is to turn the dial to bring the zeromark opposite the pointer 43 at the beginning of the measurement of a piece of goods.

49indicates clips adapted to fit tightly over the connecting-rod 4, but to be movable thereon, and these clips have upwardly-proj ectin g flanges 50, which serve as guides to engage the edges of the fabric being measuredand keep it in line in passing from one side of the machine to the other. From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the fabric may be drawn in either direction through the machine and accurately measured and that the end frames can be quickly adjusted relatively to each other to suit materials of different widths,and as all of the operative parts of the machine, with the exception of the measuring-disk and the indicator, are carried bythe end castings 0f the frame by simply moving one of the end frames the entire machineryis adjusted, and the arm which carries'the measuring-disk and the indicator can be quickly adjusted on its 7 supporting-rod, if necessary.

and the operative parts of the machine at all times, irrespective of the positions of the end castings relatively to each other, and there will be no strain on the fixed joints of the connecting-rods to the end casting.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim isl. A machine for measuring cloth and other fabrics, comprising two end castings adapted to be supported upon a level surface, connecting-rods rigidly secured to one of the said castings and loosely supported in the other end casting, the latter casting being movable as an entirety upon said rods, whereby the end castings are adjustable relatively to each other, means to lock the movable casting to one of the rods, clamps mounted on the end castings, and a measuring-disk and indicator supported on the machine and adjustable longitudinally thereof between the end castings. substantially as described.

2. A machine for measuring cloth and other fabrics comprising two end castings adapted to be supported on a level surface, connecting-rods rigidly secured to one of the said castings and loosely supported in the other end casting, the latter casting being movable as an entirety upon said rods, whereby the end castings are adjustable relatively to each other, one of the said connecting-rods being provided with a series of equidistant perforations, a spring-actuated bolt supported in engagement with the sleeve, when it may be the movable end casting to engage said perforations, revoluble clam ping-disks mounted on the end castings, and guiding-clips and measuring and indicating devices supported on the machine and adjustable longitudinally thereof between the end castings, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for measuring cloth and other fabrics, the combination of the end cast- 20 of the perforations, and a pin secured to said bolt and projecting through, an L-shaped slot in the tube, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In an indicator for cloth-measuring machines, the combination of the casing, a sleeve supported in the rear wall thereof, a gear mounted to revolve on said sleeve and carrying a pointer, a spring-actuated pin supported in the sleeve, a dial carried by the pin and normally held in frictional engagement with the inner end of the sleeve, and means to rotate the gear, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

YVILLIAM E. CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

W. H. FAUCETT, JOHN B. CURTIS. 

